Otters roll to 6 in a row, top Windsor 4-1
Erie, Pennsylvania – The Otters topped Windsor 4-1 Saturday night in front of a sold out crowd to start the final weekend at home of the regular season. Devin Williams became only the second Otters goaltender to reach 30 wins with the victory.
Waved-off goals marked the first period for Erie and Windsor. An early chance for the Otters saw the goal light on and the crowd cheering, but play continued without a review. Windsor had the same luck at the other end of the ice with a review, but the call stood, keeping the teams scoreless. Nick Baptiste had a big chance on Erie’s first power play, but the shot rang off the post and away from the net.
A double-minor to Markus Soberg for high-sticking gave the Otters a big opportunity to close out the first, but Windsor got the first crack at the scoreboard with a turnover resulting in a shorthanded breakaway that Williams stopped easily.
The Spitfires killed the remainder of the double-minor, but the Otters’s offense kept coming. Jake Marchment had a solid chance, but he was stopped by Brendan Johnston. After killing a penalty to Taylor Raddysh, Connor McDavid fed Remi Elie who put a backhand behind Johnston for the first goal of the game with eight minutes remaining in the period.
Dylan Strome sent a nice pass to Baptiste, but Johnston came up big for Windsor, denying the right wing. Hayden McCool put a shot on Williams that looked like it had potential, but the puck went high. McDavid had a close call at the other end that hit the post, finishing off the second.
It took McDavid 31 seconds to streak down the right wing and put the puck behind Johnston to give the Otters a two-goal lead. With 25 seconds to go in a tripping minor to McCool, the Spitfires got on the board with a shorthanded rocket from Slater Doggett. Minutes later, Travis Dermott sent a shot flying at Johnston that was tipped in by McDavid, restoring the two-goal lead with his second of the period.
Mason Marchment was called for tripping with 2:39 to play. Windsor brought Johnston to the bench for an extra attacker. Williams made a huge save to keep the Spitfires from gaining momentum as the penalty expired. From his own end, Darren Raddysh sent the puck down the ice and into the empty cage, sealing the Otters’s 4-1 win.
Elie and McDavid both notched three points in the win with three goals and three assists between them. Williams made 22 saves and the Otters outshot the Spitfires 41-23. With and assist on McDavid’s first goal, Alex DeBrincat extends his point streak to seven games while Elie’s assist steak reaches the same mark.
The Otters welcome Kitchener Sunday for their final home game of the regular season at 5 p.m. before travelling to Windsor Thursday night.
The Iron Workers Local Union Ironmen of the Game:
1. Connor McDavid – 2G, 1A
2. Remi Elie – 1G, 2A
3. Travis Dermott – 1A
